@bradwilhelm.bsky.social
Here for:
-Funding SEPTA
-Cutting the BIRT
-Concrete barriers
-Building more TOD
-Congestion pricing 76
Views expressed are mine alone and do not represent the opinions or positions of my employer
Go Birds
-Funding SEPTA
-Cutting the BIRT
-Concrete barriers
-Building more TOD
-Congestion pricing 76
Views expressed are mine alone and do not represent the opinions or positions of my employer
Go Birds
Pinned
How to Save Center City’s Empty Offices
The culprit isn’t just COVID-19. It’s decades of tax policies that have driven businesses and workers away.
www.phillymag.com
What message are we sending our young people when year after year this city’s leaders fail to do anything to improve their economic prospects?
“In a 2024 analysis… Philadelphia ranked 50th — DEAD LAST — among 50 U.S. metro areas when it came to economic mobility.”
www.phillymag.com/news/2025/02...
“In a 2024 analysis… Philadelphia ranked 50th — DEAD LAST — among 50 U.S. metro areas when it came to economic mobility.”
www.phillymag.com/news/2025/02...
Reposted
I started my 2025 filing today and, yeah, this BIRT change is a HUGE local tax hike on Schedule Cs in Philly.
I owe double what I paid last year, after making less money. Plus, it ends up being even more than that substantively because you have to pre-pay all of 2026.
I owe double what I paid last year, after making less money. Plus, it ends up being even more than that substantively because you have to pre-pay all of 2026.
How Philly small businesses are coping with a 'tax cut' that is forcing tens of thousands to pay the city's unusual revenue and income taxes for the first time www.inquirer.com/business/bir...
Philly small businesses face a big tax headache as an exemption ends
Even with extensive city guidance, “it becomes a logistical nightmare” for small taxpayers, who may have to hire professionals to figure out what they owe and exemptions that can reduce the total.
www.inquirer.com
January 29, 2026 at 11:27 PM
I started my 2025 filing today and, yeah, this BIRT change is a HUGE local tax hike on Schedule Cs in Philly.
I owe double what I paid last year, after making less money. Plus, it ends up being even more than that substantively because you have to pre-pay all of 2026.
I owe double what I paid last year, after making less money. Plus, it ends up being even more than that substantively because you have to pre-pay all of 2026.
Reposted
This is why Philly is not an obvious candidate for full-cordon cong. pricing, as the region's existing job sprawl landscape could see induced reverse commuting instead. Instead, radial highway tolling on 76 and 95 gets the benefit of revenue source while moderating highway as opposed to local VMT
The NBER researchers considered which other US cities might see comparable suburban speed benefits if they implement congestion pricing. Their criteria:
1) Powerful downtown
2) Congested suburbs
3) Many long commutes
Boston and Chicago both are both promising candidates.
1) Powerful downtown
2) Congested suburbs
3) Many long commutes
Boston and Chicago both are both promising candidates.
January 30, 2026 at 3:11 PM
This is why Philly is not an obvious candidate for full-cordon cong. pricing, as the region's existing job sprawl landscape could see induced reverse commuting instead. Instead, radial highway tolling on 76 and 95 gets the benefit of revenue source while moderating highway as opposed to local VMT
Reposted
Our obit: www.inquirer.com/obituaries/d...
Dan McQuade, award-winning writer, tireless community activist, and ‘Philadelphia institution,’ has died at 43
Often irreverent, always inventive, he filed memorable stories about the Wildwood T-shirt scene, Wawa hoagies, the Philly accent, and other cool stuff. His stories sparkled with research and humor.
www.inquirer.com
January 30, 2026 at 9:13 PM
Our obit: www.inquirer.com/obituaries/d...
Excited for the day when we get one of these stories about a Philly city government-led economic development success story
www.inquirer.com/transportati...
www.inquirer.com/transportati...
How Malvern’s Pa. Turnpike ramp sparked billions in economic development
Thousands of people moved in to take advantage of the new jobs or a suddenly more convenient commute to Philadelphia.
www.inquirer.com
January 29, 2026 at 5:05 PM
Excited for the day when we get one of these stories about a Philly city government-led economic development success story
www.inquirer.com/transportati...
www.inquirer.com/transportati...
Reposted
Scrolling through Twitter, finding the ancient texts, discovered a quintessential Dan tweet.
January 29, 2026 at 1:09 AM
Scrolling through Twitter, finding the ancient texts, discovered a quintessential Dan tweet.
All the chicken littles who were predicting that we’d get at least an inch of ice have gone awfully quiet
January 27, 2026 at 9:11 PM
All the chicken littles who were predicting that we’d get at least an inch of ice have gone awfully quiet
There’s nothing like the quiet of a snowstorm in the city
January 25, 2026 at 5:29 PM
There’s nothing like the quiet of a snowstorm in the city
Reposted
A video of ICE agents apparently killing a man, shooting him several times while he's on the ground. They run away from his corpse.
January 24, 2026 at 3:54 PM
A video of ICE agents apparently killing a man, shooting him several times while he's on the ground. They run away from his corpse.
Our city’s highest-in-the-nation business taxes create a dependence on the PA suburbs and neighboring states for jobs for city residents. If we ever want to truly control our own destiny as a city that’s got to change
January 20, 2026 at 3:40 PM
Our city’s highest-in-the-nation business taxes create a dependence on the PA suburbs and neighboring states for jobs for city residents. If we ever want to truly control our own destiny as a city that’s got to change
Reposted
Probably one of the worst decisions made by this administration to date. And a huge chunk of the revenue will just go to enforce the BIRT onto microscopically small businesses. If you're not going to even try to fight uniformity clause then you don't care about the economic future of the city
January 20, 2026 at 2:28 PM
Probably one of the worst decisions made by this administration to date. And a huge chunk of the revenue will just go to enforce the BIRT onto microscopically small businesses. If you're not going to even try to fight uniformity clause then you don't care about the economic future of the city
Reposted
I've seen lots of people sharing this and none of them are from Philly, which should probably give others pause!
(Bilal is wildly, historically corrupt and her office isn't actually responsible for any kind of meaningful law enforcement. She's a cosplay sheriff.)
(Bilal is wildly, historically corrupt and her office isn't actually responsible for any kind of meaningful law enforcement. She's a cosplay sheriff.)
Powerful. Philadelphia Sheriff Rochelle Bilal threatening to arrest ICE if they fuck with her city. This is the energy we need right now. The police want to be the good guys for once? Protect us from ICE.
(Video split into 2 parts due to 3 minute length restrictions)
(Video split into 2 parts due to 3 minute length restrictions)
January 9, 2026 at 10:13 PM
I've seen lots of people sharing this and none of them are from Philly, which should probably give others pause!
(Bilal is wildly, historically corrupt and her office isn't actually responsible for any kind of meaningful law enforcement. She's a cosplay sheriff.)
(Bilal is wildly, historically corrupt and her office isn't actually responsible for any kind of meaningful law enforcement. She's a cosplay sheriff.)
“Aggregators” have ruined the news business
BREAKING: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette will cease operations after nearly a century. The paper will cease operations entirely — both its digital and physical versions — on May 3.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is shutting down
Earlier this week, Block Communications also announced the closure of City Paper, a Pittsburgh alt-weekly.
www.inquirer.com
January 7, 2026 at 10:21 PM
“Aggregators” have ruined the news business
Reposted
Philly drivers man smh no place is safe
January 5, 2026 at 1:39 PM
Philly drivers man smh no place is safe
I know this is heresy but quikchek’s better than wawa and it ain’t close
December 27, 2025 at 7:23 PM
I know this is heresy but quikchek’s better than wawa and it ain’t close
Congestion price the Schulykill and send SEPTA the revenue
Year 1 data on congestion pricing in Manhattan…
* Vehicle traffic: -11%
* Foot traffic: +3.4%
* Storefront vacancy: -0.9%
* Pollution: -22%
* Revenue for mass transit: $548M
So YES this has been a huge success.
* Vehicle traffic: -11%
* Foot traffic: +3.4%
* Storefront vacancy: -0.9%
* Pollution: -22%
* Revenue for mass transit: $548M
So YES this has been a huge success.
December 24, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Congestion price the Schulykill and send SEPTA the revenue
Reposted
BIRT is the biggest culprit in Philadelphia not being the city it should be... it's a strong disincentive for companies putting offices in the city. This has downstream effects--e.g. causing a lot more reverse commuting, which makes it impossible to build an efficient transit system.
December 23, 2025 at 12:32 PM
BIRT is the biggest culprit in Philadelphia not being the city it should be... it's a strong disincentive for companies putting offices in the city. This has downstream effects--e.g. causing a lot more reverse commuting, which makes it impossible to build an efficient transit system.
Reposted
Happy “today is 3 minutes longer” to those who celebrate.
December 22, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Happy “today is 3 minutes longer” to those who celebrate.
Reposted
You begin to wonder why Councilmembers like Young only consider preserving jobs AFTER the building empties out (and it's been closed for 6 years!!), and simply don't give a shit about preserving active jobs in offices that go remote or to the suburbs
A new bill from Jay Young would ban housing from the former Hahnemann University Hospital area, potentially killing an apartment development that is in the works: www.inquirer.com/real-estate/...
City Council bill would ban housing from former Hahnemann University Hospital area
Councilmember Jeffrey Young said the goal is commercial preservation and creating jobs in that part of his district.
www.inquirer.com
December 19, 2025 at 2:08 PM
You begin to wonder why Councilmembers like Young only consider preserving jobs AFTER the building empties out (and it's been closed for 6 years!!), and simply don't give a shit about preserving active jobs in offices that go remote or to the suburbs
And send the proceeds to SEPTA
Toll the Schuylkill Expressway
In New York City, Congestion Pricing Leads to Marked Drop in Pollution
e360.yale.edu
December 12, 2025 at 3:58 PM
And send the proceeds to SEPTA
Apparently this whole property on the 100 block of WashAve is a Vietnamese coffee shop 🤯
December 9, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Apparently this whole property on the 100 block of WashAve is a Vietnamese coffee shop 🤯
“Over the past several decades we’ve not only built an economy in which far too many people struggle to make it through the month; we’ve built an economy barely capable of standing on its own two feet.”
www.phillymag.com/news/2025/12...
www.phillymag.com/news/2025/12...
Trump’s Cuts Are Hitting Philly Hard. Can the City Hold On?
Why we are uniquely vulnerable to the president's economic rampage ... and how Philadelphia can (maybe) fortify itself for the future.
www.phillymag.com
December 8, 2025 at 1:05 AM
“Over the past several decades we’ve not only built an economy in which far too many people struggle to make it through the month; we’ve built an economy barely capable of standing on its own two feet.”
www.phillymag.com/news/2025/12...
www.phillymag.com/news/2025/12...
Reposted
“If we get it right, people come back and they spend their money here in Philadelphia. If we don’t, then they won’t,” said Zakary Pyzik, of the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association.
Restaurateurs call for expanded sidewalk dining ahead of 2026 tourism surge
Supporters say businesses will get a boost, while critics warn of abuse by nuisance bars.
billypenn.com
December 5, 2025 at 4:43 PM
“If we get it right, people come back and they spend their money here in Philadelphia. If we don’t, then they won’t,” said Zakary Pyzik, of the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association.
Makes absolutely no sense that pumpkin beer is nowhere to be found the weekend before the pumpkin pie holiday
November 22, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Makes absolutely no sense that pumpkin beer is nowhere to be found the weekend before the pumpkin pie holiday